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In My Kitchen – March 2015

I’m not quite home yet from my trip away with Pete. I will catch up with you all this coming week.🙂

Thanks to our friend Celia over at Fig Jam and Lime Cordial who hosts our monthly IMK event, we are able to peek into kitchens all over the world. Thank you Celia for the fun of being able to pop in and see so many wonderful things that everyone shares.

In my kitchen…

Were chocolate cupcakes with my first attempt at icing roses. Up to now, I have had the incorrect nozzle. What a different having the correct one makes. I am looking forward to practising a little more with my new favourite Ateco 852 nozzle.

In my kitchen…

Is a new 2 tier cake stand. It had a gold handle which I didn’t like so sprayed it white until I can get hold of some silver paint. It was ridiculously cheap. Not sure why I never bought more! They make fabulous gifts.

In my kitchen…

Are the cutest mini sauce bowls – I REALLY don’t need them but couldn’t resit buying a set.

In my kitchen…

Are pictures of our three cats. I have been trying forever to get decent shots for Kim but alas this is the best I can do. They are the most uncooperative four legged felines I know!

In my kitchen…

Is rhubarb seed, a gift from our friend Wayne after he heard how much Pete loves rhubarb. Now, the pressure is on me to get these lovely little seeds growing and eventually to make a pie.🙂

In my kitchen…

Is a second batch of lovely teas to sample, sent to me by Alison over at Teavivre. I am looking forward to doing another degustation.

What’s in your kitchen this month? Please remember to link back to Celia’s blog Fig Jam and Lime Cordial if you partake in the fun and drop her a quick note to let her know when your post will be up and please note Celia needs all IMK posts submitted by the 10th of every month.

Hi there lovely! How about those rhubarb seeds! I have never seen those… only the crowns that you can buy! I love your rose icing, very clever! I want to try my hand at that too. And those sauce bowls are little beauties. I have them too! Have a lovely week!

Hi Mandy, thanks for showing those rhubarb seeds, I have never seen them before. Your cake stand looks so good in white, I can’t imagine it with any other coloured handle now! Your icing looks great, happy to hear you found the best nozzle. Happy piping! Happy IMK’ing. Cheers, Kirsty xx

Hi Kristy, I had friends over for tea yesterday and tried my hand at icing a cake with the same nozzle – I need lots more practice but will get there. I never imagined rhubarb seeds would look like they do – great finding out new things. Have a super day and thanks for stopping by.🙂 xo

Can’t believe it took me so long to figure out Christina. I sprinkle over edible glitter to create the sparkle using a soft silicone brush to distribute the glitter. Have a super day and thanks for stopping by.🙂 xo

What a beautiful job on those cupcakes. It just goes to show that you really DO need the right tools to get the job done properly. That was also a great idea to spray paint the handle on the cake tier. We’ve been gathering candle holders, patterns, and birdcages for tablescapes for my daughter’s wedding and I’ve found some things that would be perfect – but with a silver paint spraying job.
Those little bowls would be perfect too for prepping a meal and I’ve been thinking that I need a few of them myself.
Mandy, why are all of your cats sleeping in those pictures? I know, I know, with my terrorist cat it’s hard to get a shot unless he is asleep. But they do look content and adorable.
And although I’m sure you must have had a wonderful trip, it’s still nice to come home and nice to have you back.

I bet you are having so much fun with all Niki’s wedding plans and I would love to be able to send you a few bowls. What a pity we are on opposite sides of the globe.
The ONLY way I can get a photo of the cats is when they are sleeping – as soon as they hear the first click, they stand up stretch and tootle off – very uncooperative little ones I have.
Coming home brought Pete with me which was incredible! I have been so spoilt with having him home so much since the near year. Have a beautiful day Diane.🙂 xo

My daughter’s so organized. All of the major stuff is done or at least ordered. I’ve been taking my time hand addressing the invitations. We bought those old big house keys to hang tags on with the table assignments so I need to get going on putting the names on those. Then I have to play with Photoshop because we’re putting photos of Tim & Niki on each table by age – you know – Table 1 will have them at age 1, table 2 at age 2, etc. It’s the fun things now I think.

Oh how lovely Diane. I always say to Pete “lets get married again” – it was the most wonderful thing organising our wedding with my mom that I want to do it all over again. I even made our wedding invitations and I love the idea of hand addressing them, very special. I hope you will be able to share a few photos from Tim and Niki’s special day. I felt truly honoured that you privately shared pics of the wedding dress fittings that I feel I am part of the wedding. Thank you for that! *Big hugs* to you. xoxoxo

Thanks Mandy. I can’t say it’s been stress free. So many things to think of because it’s a good size wedding and so many personalities involved. I am having fun with it but my daughter does worry about all the details.

Aah yes, the complications of big weddings and family and friends and and and. We had a small wedding so eliminated most of that. Most difficult part was catering around the couple of vegetarians who attended. hee hee.🙂

I really am hoping to sit quietly one day in a corner and wait for them to come to me so I can get a few more shots. I hope you can find the nozzle Charlie. Let me know if you would like me to post one your way. Have a super day.🙂 xo

Yes, the right tool for the job! Your cupcakes are exquisite. And what a pretty cake stand. I wouldn’t change the color again, the all white is unique and from here it makes the handle look porcelain. Very nice. I don’t think I would have been able to pass on the sauce bowls either. Dishes are my weakness. Have a glorious trip with your hubby!

I am super impressed by your icing skills- they look lovely. The mini bowls may not be needed but they will be used. I am also partial to little bowls like these and have far too many. I have never see rhubarb seeds!

If I remember correctly, despite Pete’s adoration of rhubarb, you aren’t a fan of it yourself. Growing it from seed for your sweetheart: that’s love and commitment!😉 Hope the whole travel time has been a joy and a gift to you both!!!❤
Kath

Wow, well remembered Kath! We had the most wonderful and special time especially with being spoilt and Pete telling me he was coming back home with me. What a wonderful couple of weeks! Have a super day friend.🙂 xo

Hello, love your cute kitties. I would love to have three cats and four dogs but *sign* I can’t. I hear that that tea is very good.Must try one of these days. good luck with the rhubarb growing. I have never seen the funny looking seeds before. Tania

I’ve never grown rhubarb from seed before, wish you well. We’ve either inherited plants and split them into multiples, or bought small seedlings at garden centre. Hope you’ll keep updated on how the plants do?

Your nozzles are all so neat – mine are stuffed into a Tupperware container which is inside another Tupperware container with all my icing goodies. I just thought yesterday it is time to upsize. Happy icing Tandy.🙂 xo

I really enjoy these posts. They make me stop and think about what’s in our kitchen. 🙂

The gardens are producing nothing right now. Now is the time to finish up last year’s veggies in the freezer, especially asparagus, as the first new spears should appear in the next few weeks. We have lettuce starts ready to transplant, but they’re still too small to be used in salads, so our salads are from sprouts spouted in the kitchen. We’re fortunate to have plenty of home-grown food preserved for months like this. But we’re looking forward to the goodness of this years gardens–coming soon.

Beautiful kitchen as always Mandy. I have a bit of nozzle envy🙂 as it is one of the things that I need to enhance in my kitchen, although like you said about those little white bowls, you don’t really need them. I find that anything In my kitchen isn’t about need ever! LOL! Thanks for sharing! Liz xx

I’ve finally got myself some decent nozzles after realising that those dinky ones just aren’t up to the job but I find myself with nothing to ice – no occasions in sight for a while. Any excuse to buy more china – those little bowls are just so cute and look how wonderful those rhubarb seeds look in them!! Best of luck with growing them but the way. I was just in Cape Town and thought of you🙂

Hurry up and tell us about your trip.🙂
Great round up in your kitchen this month. Love your cupcakes and the sauce dishes, went digging for mine to serve soy in with my sushi dinner last night. Couldn’t find a one of them. Sigh!
Looking forward to hanging in your kitchen lady.
Love and hugs across the oceans. xox

Oh my dear Miss Anna – I haven’t even thought about it – it’s been ruddy ridiculously busy around here. Urgh. Will give myself a stern talking to and get cracking soonest. Promise!
Right, we will have to get you a few of those nunu little bowls when you are here. Can’t wait!
Love and hugs right back to you sweetie.🙂 xoxoxo